Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

"Who?!"

Sun Ce was initially startled. While subconsciously protecting Adou and Li Xiang behind him, he placed his hand on the hilt of the Ancient Tiding Blade at his waist and shouted loudly.

Although forced to temporarily halt due to the snowstorm, Sun Ce had scouts constantly patrolling the surroundings.

This sudden voice, however, bypassed numerous scouts and abruptly appeared here, which naturally made Sun Ce extremely wary and surprised.

In the next moment, a figure rapidly approached from within the snowstorm.

The newcomer was clad in a green coarse cloth robe. Walking through the biting cold snow, his steps were unusually light. Many snowflakes clung to his hair and beard, making it temporarily difficult to discern whether his beard and hair were black mixed with white, or originally jet black.

"A Taoist?!"

Sun Ce instantly drew the Ancient Tiding Blade. The surrounding Tai Shici, Huang Gai, Cheng Pu, and a group of soldiers also drew their weapons and aimed at the newcomer.

Especially in Yu Province, which had been pacified by Li Ji not long ago, the unexpected guest in this snow-filled sky being a Taoist inevitably made Sun Ce and others suspect a connection between the newcomer and the Taiping Dao.

"Why must you be so nervous, esteemed gentlemen? I am Zuo Ci, the Wujiao Master of Mount Tianzhu, here to pay my respects."

Zuo Ci bowed to the crowd, his gaze intentionally or unintentionally directed towards Adou and Li Xiang behind Sun Ce.

Upon seeing this, Sun Ce's entire being erupted with anger.

Sun Ce had always disliked these Buddhist and Taoist types, let alone the fact that Zuo Ci's appearance was particularly strange and mysterious, vaguely seeming to be directed at Adou and Li Xiang.

This made Sun Ce not even want to say another word to Zuo Ci, and he immediately gave the order.

"Bold demonic Taoist, men, seize this person for me. If he resists, kill him without mercy!"

"Yes!"

Immediately, Huang Gai personally led more than a dozen armored soldiers to surround Zuo Ci.

"Why are you all so angry? This land of Yu Province has finally ceased its wars. Why must you start another killing?"

Zuo Ci sighed and shook his head. His entire being seemingly made no movement, but he retreated several steps, his figure seeming to be quickly and completely concealed by the snowstorm.

Huang Gai led more than a dozen armored soldiers to rush forward, searching left and right, but they were unable to find even a trace.

Upon seeing this, Sun Ce frowned slightly. He held the Ancient Tiding Blade in one hand, while the other subconsciously reached back to grab Li Xiang's shoulder, saying.

"Ziyi, this person is extremely strange. I don't know what kind of illusion he is using. Please protect the young lord and Xiang-di with me at all times, lest any unexpected event occur."

"Bo Fu, rest assured."

Tai Shici immediately took a step closer to Sun Ce, and also placed a hand on Adou's shoulder like Sun Ce, saying.

"Forgive me for the offense, young lord, please forgive me."

Adou didn't care about such trivial matters, but unconsciously moved closer to Li Xiang, grabbing the corner of Li Xiang's clothes and asking.

"Da-xiong, has that Taoist left?"

"I don't know."

Li Xiang's face was fearless, his eyes scanning left and right, also searching for Zuo Ci's whereabouts.

Sun Ce reassured in a deep voice.

"Young lord and Xiang-di, don't be afraid. Those demonic Taoists are only using some flashy and impractical illusions. As long as we don't fall for their trick to lure us away from the mountain, they can't do anything to us."

As for gods and ghosts, not to mention that Sun Ce didn't believe in them in the first place, more importantly, Sun Ce had once trampled the Evil Ma-tai Kingdom palace, which was regarded as a sacred place by countless Japanese people.

He had even seen Queen Himiko, who was revered as a god by countless Japanese people, being sun-dried alive in a duel with his teacher.

Since then, Sun Ce had completely lost his reverence for the so-called gods and ghosts.

This Taoist who called himself Zuo Ci appeared strangely, but in Sun Ce's view, he was only worried that this person's target would be Adou and Li Xiang, so he didn't dare to act rashly.

"It seems that this General Bo Fu is somewhat judging a gentleman's heart with a petty man's mind…"

In the next moment, Zuo Ci's figure appeared in another direction from Sun Ce, causing Sun Ce's brow to furrow.

Immediately, Sun Ce once again raised his hand and waved it in Zuo Ci's direction.

Cheng Pu immediately also led more than a dozen armored soldiers to surround Zuo Ci.

However, just like Huang Gai's result before, when Cheng Pu rushed forward, Zuo Ci instantly disappeared into the snowstorm.

After a few breaths, Zuo Ci changed to another direction again.

Sun Ce also had Han Dang lead troops to encircle him, but the result remained unchanged. Zuo Ci easily disappeared into the snowstorm in full view.

This time, Zuo Ci appeared in the fourth direction, looking at Sun Ce with a normal expression, and said.

"I am merely passing by this place by chance. Even though Yu Province will now be incorporated under the rule of the Imperial Uncle Liu, I am walking on the official road of the Han Dynasty, and I am also a Han Chinese. Why is General Bo Fu shouting to kill me like this?"

"Passing by?"

Sun Ce sneered. Naturally, he wouldn't believe the words of this Taoist with unknown origins, and shouted sternly.

"What do you intend to do? If you can't explain it clearly today, don't blame me for remembering your name, and then leading troops to burn the entire Mount Tianzhu clean one day."

This murderous sentence startled the snowflakes to unconsciously avoid Sun Ce.

Although Zuo Ci's expression didn't change at all, he couldn't help but mutter in his heart, realizing that Sun Ce might really be able to do such a thing.

Moreover, Mount Tianzhu was located in Lujiang County, Yang Province. If Sun Ce wanted to mobilize troops to burn Mount Tianzhu, it wouldn't be something he was just saying casually.

This made Zuo Ci secretly regret his habit of mentioning his place of cultivation along with his identity when introducing himself on weekdays.

'I should have claimed to be cultivating on Mount Nanhua, so that Sun Ce could go and find that fellow Nanhua's bad luck.'

Zuo Ci muttered to himself, and then said.

"Whether you believe it or not depends on the general's heart, what does it have to do with me? I only saw that you are trapped in the snowstorm and wanted to lead the way to a place where you can avoid the wind and snow."

"If that's the case, then forget it."

Saying that, Zuo Ci once again made a gesture of slowly retreating, wanting to disappear into the snowstorm.

However, to Zuo Ci's surprise, Sun Ce and the soldiers maintained a vigilant posture, and no one seemed to have the slightest intention of opening their mouths to persuade him to stay.

Just as Zuo Ci felt a bit of a dilemma, Li Xiang, who was behind Sun Ce, took a step to the side, his small body exposed in the layers of protection, and bowed remotely, saying.

"Does this Taoist priest really know of a place nearby where we can avoid the wind and snow?"

"Xiang-di?!"

Upon seeing this, Sun Ce's tone was somewhat hurried as he wanted to stop Li Xiang.

However, how could Li Xiang not know that Zuo Ci seemed to have ulterior motives, and that his words and actions were also suspicious and strange, but Zuo Ci had a word that touched Li Xiang.

In the midst of the wind and snow, the soldiers needed a place to avoid the cold and escape the wind and snow.

Otherwise…

Li Xiang recalled seeing some of the soldiers' hands being frozen red and swollen in the snowstorm, and some had even begun to turn blue.

It was only that these Tiger Brave elites had not become chaotic and retreated due to the snowstorm, but Li Xiang, who was deeply influenced by Li Ji, could not turn a blind eye. (End of chapter)